Finishes of Furniture

The devil is in the details, as they say. Or as we like to say at AKKA, the beauty is in the details. In fact, it is the details that make the difference. In interior design, the things we tend to overlook at first glance end up being the elements that contribute to the uniqueness of every space and its personalized style. In this article, we are zooming into the furniture pieces in a space. The finishes of any piece of furniture are a fundamental part of the overall aesthetic of the piece and has a tremendous effect on the overall interior design of the room.

So let’s dive into the different choices available in terms of furniture finishes and how each one highlights our home in the most special of ways.

Practical or style or both?

Sturdy finishes or delicate surfaces? High or low maintenance depends on your lifestyle. For example, if you have kids or toddlers you might think twice before buying that glass coffee table. On the other hand, if you have a hairy black cat you may avoid getting a white couch. And finally if you love dinner parties with red wine, is a white rug / carpet the wisest idea? Always adjust your interior design style to your daily lifestyle. Remember, some pieces are investments and nobody likes changing their furniture every year.

Fabrics? Which and why?

Fabric is the perfect look&feel combination. It’s an elegant detail to the eye and it also provides comfort and coziness. Headache dilemma? Synthetic or Leather? Well that’s mostly up to the overall aesthetic. No one can deny that a dark leather sofa matches perfectly an industrial style home. However on hot summer days the feel of the leather is not the most pleasant one, especially on naked skin. Synthetic on the other hand, has a neutral feeling and thankfully comes in various colour shades and patterns.

Tip to remember: Even though velvet may feel good, we suggest you think twice (or more). Due to the thick pile, velvet absorbs dust and micro-organisms, stains quite easily and can be difficult to clean. It has slightly lower light resistance than other fabrics and should be kept out of direct sunlight so as to avoid any fading or sun damage.

Wood : When to use it, when is it too much and how to nuance it?

Wooden furniture match traditional / rustic households and shout out “warmth”.

Does a house full of exclusive wooden element lack liveliness? Yes, and that is why the best way to nuance wooden furniture without without diminishing their authenticity, is adding metal details!

The marriage of Wood and Metal

A trendy yet classy options are metallic table and sofa legs. While the surfaces are made of wood the bottom parts are metallic and that grants elegance and style to the pieces.

A common option is for cupboard and closet handles to be metallic and give a great contrast effect to the design.

Last but not least, the staircase. Even though wooden staircases grant a homey feeling, you are not obligated to go with wooden handlers as well. A steady, safe and modern option to go for, is steel or iron handlers.

Learn more on Dutch Stairs, how to improve them and how to install safety handlers in our related piece, here.

Types of Metallic Finishes to go for:

• Aluminium
• Copper
• Steel
• Brass
• Iron

Plus, there are different styles to choose, according to your liking.

• Antiqued
• Brushed
• Hammered
• Polished

Mixed Metals?

Generally it is for the best to stick to uniformity especially when you are already marrying different styles and elements. If you do mix metal styles and colours, try to have a pattern, a specific reason for going with this.

Neutral tones of splashes of colour

General rule, the large the size the more muted the colour, unless it is a statement piece.

The selective use of colour against a backdrop of neutral or more muted tones is a great way to guide your visitors eyes through out the space, so curate what you want them to look at, and even more, use colour to guide them through the rooms you want them to visit!

To sum up,  the finishes of furniture are a major factor that determine the overall interior design and therefore they must be in harmony and in agreement with each other. Each element and each colour carries a meaning, an identity that adds to a quality lifestyle.